The Stalked Need a Safety Net

Jayne Hitchcock was terrorized by cyberstalkers for almost three years before she was able to get any help.

Now, Hitchcock has turned that nightmare into a positive experience by educating law enforcement, and serving as an advocate for cyberstalking victims.

When attacks against her began in December 1996, cyberstalking was virtually unheard of, and she had a difficult time finding help.

"There was basically nothing out there to help me," Hitchcock said. "(The police) had no idea how to handle it."

Hitchcock inadvertently sparked a slew of cyber attacks when she blew the whistle on a literary agency that was scamming writers out of their money.

Part of a writing newsgroup, she had heard from other writers that they had submitted works for publication, sent money, but had never been published. She posted a message asking if others had this same experience, and the attacks began.

It started with a few email bombs, then the stalkers began to forge her name online and impersonate her. They posted her name on hundreds of sex newsgroups along with her home address and phone number, saying she was available for sex anytime.

She started receiving as many as 30 calls per day.

"They basically tried to do everything they could to ruin my life," Hitchcock said.

Now Hitchock, as president of Women Halting Online Abuse, helps other victims of harassment get the help they need. She advises them on what to do if they are being harassed, and works to educate law enforcement on cyberstalking.

WHOA gets about 100 reports per week, and the vast majority of them can be handled with a note to the harasser's ISP. But for the more serious cases, Hitchcock and her staff of 10 make calls to the police, and check in with the victims to make sure they are receiving the help that they need.

Hitchcock has lectured on online abuse over a dozen times since January, and has done one training workshop for a police department. She goes over the basics of the Net to officers who may not be familiar with it, and gives them a sample case to work on. The FBI has also expressed an interest in working with her.

"They're very interested in learning more," Hitchcock said.

Now Internet Crimes, a group that provides training for law enforcement, has enlisted her help to give workshops.

"Our director of training (a former secret service agent) has worked with her before and he has given her nothing but praise," said Greg Larson, vice president of the company. "She is extremely well qualified."

As for her own case, Hitchcock changed her phone number and moved to a different state. She credits her Internet writing friends for helping track down the harassers, who were indicted in January for mail fraud and perjury, two charges related to the publishing scheme they were running.

She has filed a civil suit against them for libel, defamation of character, and harassment, among other things.

"I could not get them arrested with any charges related to the Internet because there were no laws," Hitchcock said.

Thanks to her help, that is changing.

Hitchcock has testified (in person) in Maryland and New Hampshire, and testified (in writing) in Minnesota and California to help get state cyberstalking statutes passed.

And slowly but surely, she's observed a change in the way that these crimes are handled.

"At least now law enforcement is taking it a lot more seriously," she said. "It's changed a lot for the better for victims."